The transportation of students and teachers from a community to community in Lori Region has become a major concern nowadays.

Oleg Durgaryan, Head of the Community Mobilization and Support Center NGO; Ashkhen Babayan, Head of the Helsinki Group of Spitak, NGO; and Ashot Papanyan, Leading Specialist at the Sports, Education and Culture Department, Lori Regional Council, spoke on the transportation services in Lori Region.

Oleg Durgaryan shared the results of the survey they have earlier conducted in Tumanyan district, Lori Region.

The survey revealed 47.87 percent of students in Tumanyan District have an access to transportation services while the other 52 percent do not have inter-community transport.

“The survey also showed the huge difference of allocations by regions. In 2015 46 percent (25.5 million drams) of the overall financing has been allocated to Syunik Region, with Lori region getting only 0.5 percent, i.e. 278.100 thousand drams. Students in some villages have to walk ten kilometers to get home,” said Oleg Durgaryan.

The teachers are not provided with transport services at all, Ashkhen Babayan said. “They have to travel from Vanadzor to Spitak’s remote districts and they do not get any compensation.”

Ashot Papanyan from Lori Regional Council said the council will hold a meeting to study the issue and make proposals.

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